WASHINGTON — In a striking reach across party lines, the White House and key lawmakers agreed Thursday on a sweeping immigration plan to grant legal status to millions of people in the country unlawfully.

Sealed after months of secretive bargaining, the deal mandates bolstered border security and a high-tech employment verification system to prevent illegal workers from getting jobs.

President Bush said the proposal would "help enforce our borders but equally importantly, it'll treat people with respect."

The compromise brought together an unlikely alliance of liberal Democrats such as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and conservative Republicans such as Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona on an issue that carries heavy potential risks and rewards for all involved.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said debate would begin on Monday, but he cautioned, "I don't know if the immigration legislation is going to bear fruit and we're going to be able to pass it."

Almost instantly, the plan brought vehement criticism from both sides of the immigration issue, including liberals who called it unfair and unworkable and conservatives who branded it an overly permissive "amnesty."

The proposal constitutes a far-reaching change in the immigration system that would admit future arrivals seeking to put down roots in the U.S. based on their skills, education levels and job experience, limiting the importance of family ties. A new class of guest workers would be allowed in temporarily, but only after the new security measures were in place — expected to take 18 months.

"This is a bill where people who live here in our country will be treated without amnesty but without animosity," Bush said.

Kennedy hailed it as "the best possible chance we will have in years to secure our borders and bring millions of people out of the shadows and into the sunshine of America."

Kyl said the measure wasn't perfect, "but it represents the best opportunity that we have in a bipartisan way to do something about this problem."

It was clear, however, that many Republicans and Democrats were deeply skeptical. Reid said it needed improvement.

"I have serious concerns about some aspects of this proposal, including the structure of the temporary worker program and undue limitations on family immigration," Reid said.

In a reminder of the delicate nature of the coalition, some lawmakers on both ends of the political spectrum who attended the weeks of closed-door talks that yielded the agreement deserted it at the last moment.

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said the proposal "tears families apart" because a new point system used to evaluate future legal immigrants would value family connections well below employment-related criteria.

"When you anchor yourself to the far right and you give, I think, relatively little, it's hard to meet the challenge" of producing a workable bill, Menendez said in an interview.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he had "very serious concerns with the principles outlined" in the agreement.

And conservatives on both sides of the Capitol derided the deal as "amnesty" for illegal immigrants, using a politically charged word that figured prominently in campaigns across the country last year.

"I don't care how you try to spin it, this is amnesty," said Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.

The proposed agreement would allow illegal immigrants to come forward and obtain a "Z visa" and — after paying fees and a $5,000 fine — ultimately get on track for permanent residency, which could take between eight and 13 years. Heads of households would have to return to their home countries first.

They could come forward right away to claim a probationary card that would let them live and work legally in the U.S., but could not begin the path to permanent residency or citizenship until border security improvements and the high-tech worker identification program were completed.

A new crop of low-skilled guest workers would have to return home after stints of two years. They could renew their visas twice, but would be required to leave for a year in between each time. If they wanted to stay in the U.S. permanently, they would have to apply under the point system for a limited pool of green cards.

The program drew fire from liberal groups that said it was unworkable. They had joined Democrats in pressing instead for guest workers to be permitted to stay and work indefinitely in the U.S., and ultimately earn the chance to stay.

"Without a clear path to permanent residence for a healthy share of the future temporary workers, we run the risk of reproducing the widespread illegality that this bill is designed to address," said Frank Sharry, the executive director of the National Immigration Forum.

Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said he would try to kill the temporary worker program because it would bring in a potentially unlimited stream of immigrants to compete with Americans for jobs and depress wages.

In perhaps the most hotly debated change, the proposed plan would shift from an immigration system primarily weighted toward family ties toward one with preferences for people with advanced degrees and sophisticated skills. Republicans have long sought such revisions, which they say are needed to end "chain migration" that harms the economy.

Family connections alone would no longer be enough to qualify for a green card — except for spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens. Strict new limits would apply to U.S. citizens seeking to bring foreign-born parents into the country.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who led the charge last year to push through an immigration overhaul, called the deal "the first step" and urged moving it forward before the politics of 2008 made such action impossible.

"We all know that this issue can be caught up in extracurricular politics unless we move forward as quickly as possible," said McCain, who is seeking the GOP nomination for president.

And so we take a giant step toward a 2nd revolution. It's coming, and you all know it. It's clear that the politicians do not represent the People of this country. Something drastic needs to be done about this

RE: Amnesty for ALL say McCain and Kennedy as US
Senate makes second attempt to sellout America

May 17, 2007

Senator McCain and his allies seem to think that they can dupe the American public into accepting a blanket amnesty if they just call it 'comprehensive' or 'earned legalization' or 'regularization.'

Unfortunately for them, however, the American people know amnesty when they see it. The President is so desperate for a legacy and a domestic policy win that he is willing to sell out the American people and our national security.

If Senator McCain and Senator Kennedy spent as much time working on improving border security as they did poll testing creative euphemisms for amnesty, America would be a much safer place.

Their plan will grant an immediate amnesty for nearly all 12 - 20 million illegal aliens who will get legal status for residence and jobs (with assurance of green cards no later than 13 years). That is triple the rate of chain migration of extended family from around 250,000 a year to around 750,000 a year for about a decade; and new flows of 400,000 temporary foreign workers each year, will bring their families and have anchor babies who will be given U.S. citizenship.

This amnesty plan will be a slap in the face to hard working Americans and those who have come here to work legally.

I promise to do everything in my power to stop this travesty but I need your help.

Please call your Senators and your Congressman at (202) 224-3121 and let them know how outraged you are that they would even consider massive amnesty as the answer to illegal immigration and that you expect them to reject this plan outright and demand the President secure our borders now!

You all played a critical role last year in stopping amnesty we must do it again-our nation is relying on us.

Thanks so much for all your help and support on this important issue and on my campaign.

BBA = Better Buy Ammo !
There is a war coming !!
They are going to take away everything you have worked for !!!
Soon they will demand higher wages to pick the fruit !!!!
They will live on the social programs free money & no work !!!!!!
You can believe what you want, for a little while longer, but this will not be solved at the polls This is an invasion of our country & rights by the powers in Washington to insure that they get to stay in office and we the common man will pay the bills and do the suffering for it.
Now y'all do what you want but me I am planning to go to war with the butt holes in DC and I dare one Foreign Bastard to step foot on MY LAND and as to the folks wearing the BLUE HELMETS the same goes for them
I will die a FREE MAN and not live by a Dictators LAWS
THIS IS WHY OUR FORE FATHERS WROTE THE CONSTITUTION & WHY WE HAVE THE BILL OF RIGHTS
All the LIBERALS and anyone who thinks like them can KMA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!